Neal conferences with one of his students during 7th grade Math Stations.

Neal Bottom is the 7th Grade Math Teacher at Caliber Beta Academy. This is his second year at Beta. Another member of the 7th grade team recently said about Neal: "Neal is calm, steady, and reliable. He's a great role model in terms of how to better balance work and life. He goes above and beyond to make sure kids are getting the math personalization that they need by splitting his class into three sections, even if it means more work on his part."

Learn all about Neal: 
​"I grew up in the Bay Area and have lived here my entire life with the exception of 5 years in the Navy as a hospital corpsman. After the Navy, I spent several years working for Fortune 500 companies, including Cadbury Schweppes and Progressive Insurance. During this time I received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Human Resources and Organizational Leadership. My wife and I owned a consulting firm for over 3 years, providing leadership development and support to Bay Area businesses and government organizations. It was through this work that I found teaching. I noticed that there were several issues that we were helping to resolve at an organizational level that could easily be addressed within our schools. To be effective in the workforce, students need to be encouraged to be curious, to work collaboratively, and to be effective communicators. I ended up at Caliber after looking for a school that exemplifies these characteristics and allows teachers the latitude to teach and model these in the classroom.
On the personal side, my wife and I live in Alameda with our three year old twin daughters. They are the highlight of my day. I love coming home to their excitement to see me and calls for "Daddy!"" 

A recent interview with Neal: 
What is your favorite thing about teaching 7th grade Math at Beta? 
I love it when we do hands-on projects, when students get to build things and use their imaginations to solve problems. 

What was your favorite subject growing up? 
Well, it wasn't math, but Economics. Econ seemed so practical back then, but now it just seems highly irrational. 

Did you always think you were going to become a teacher? 
I had no idea that I would ever be a teacher. I spent more time figuring out how to spend as little time in school as possible! Looking back on my career so far, I've always ended up in positions where I was teaching others.

Favorite candy bar or sweet treat?
Peanut Butter M & M's. But let's be real, I love anything chocolate. As a kid I used to shake every time I saw cake and my family still doesn't let me forget it. 

If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? 
I really want to go to Antarctica. Although I think increased tourism is leading to the destruction of the habitat... so I might need to find another place to go. 

What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically about Richmond!)? 
I love the easy access to everything that I love to do. All of the amazing hiking and food!

What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you? 
I started working as a paperboy at 11 years old, but one of my most favorite jobs growing up was working on a duck hunting ranch for the then owner of the Seattle Seahawks. We always wanted to fly in his Seahawks helicopter. 

Ms. Canady chants the Michigan fight song with her 6th graders after morning circle. 

Meet Asha Canady, the 6th grade founding ELA teacher and grade level lead at ChangeMakers Academy.  Her classroom is rigorous, focused, and a place where students can be themselves to learn at their maximum potential.  She is loved across the entire ChangeMakers community! 

Learn more about Asha here:
I am originally from Sacramento, Ca where I returned after college to teach high school as a Teach for America corps member at my alma mater! After TFA, I moved to Athens, Greece to teach Middle School English as a Fulbright scholar. Next, I moved to Michigan for a Master's degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Being a grad student made me realize how much I missed the classroom. So, I applied to schools all over the country and was really impressed with the work that teachers and families were doing here at Caliber. Long story short, I decided to make the move back to Northern California. I have not been disappointed and I'm really excited that I'll be back in one place for a while here at ChangeMakers.

A recent interview with Asha: 
What is your favorite thing about teaching 6th grade ELA? 
My students are my favorite part of being a sixth grade English teacher. They are working so hard and growing so much that it's a pleasure being part of that!

What was your favorite subject growing up? 
English and History

Did you always think you were going to become a teacher? 
I have always loved English and I knew I wanted a job where I could be immersed in books and writing everyday. I didn't know that I wanted to be a teacher exactly, but it definitely fits.

Favorite candy bar or sweet treat?
I love Reese's peanut butter cups! :)

If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go?  
I love to travel! At the moment, I would love to travel through Asia. In every country that I visit, I try to take a cooking class and I think Asia would be awesome for that. I'd also like to take some surf lessons.

What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically about Vallejo!)? 
The Bay Area is so dynamic! I love that it's an intellectual, culinary and cultural hub! I also feel really lucky to be living in Vallejo right now. I'm really excited about the the revitalization that's going on in this city! It's an exciting time to be here.

What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you? 
I have a twin sister, named Asia, and she teaches 4th grade in Harlem​.

I recently asked a student about Ms. Canady. Here is what 6th grade ChangeMaker Cassandra had to say:
"I like Ms. Canady as a teacher because she has a good sense of humor. She helps you when you need help. She's basically just a great teacher... 

She's different from other teachers because most teachers just make you do your work --- and they don't necessarily get to know you. But Ms. Canady really gets to know you. One thing I really like that she does every single day is after our temp check, she will tell us a way that we can help others to make them feel better if they are feeling down." 

Meet Stefanie: The 3rd Grade Level Lead and ELA Teacher at Caliber: Beta Academy. Not only are Stefanie's students always on task, engaged, and invested, but her classroom is an amazing sight to see full of student work, anchor charts, and stimulation. Stefanie also manages to get her students active in many activities and programs outside of Caliber such as Girls on the Run, SF Opera's Books to Bravo, and Discover Day at the Giants Stadium (pictured above). 
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One of Stefanie's 3rd grade team members recently said: "Stefanie is an amazing 3rd grade level lead. She is always there for questions, ideas, and support for anyone who has the blessing to cross her path. Her dedication to each Caliber student is contagious, and you can see her hard work in the faces of every single one of her students. She is truly a teacher you love to watch and that you will wish you had as a student." 

Learn about Stefanie: 
Stefanie Eytchison spent her childhood between Hawaii and Belgium before moving to California. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University (CSU), Chico.  During her university years, Stefanie was a math tutor for elementary students and coordinated Family Math Nights at local elementary schools.  It was through these experiences that Stefanie found her true passion for teaching.  She went on to earn her Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential from CSU, Chico.  Stefanie moved to the Bay Area in 2009 and taught at an elementary school in San Leandro for five years before joining the Caliber team.  Stefanie joined the Caliber team during Beta's founding year.  She was drawn to Caliber's mission to teach the whole child, both academically and emotionally.  She was also drawn to Caliber's focus on inquiry-based and project-based learning.

A recent interview with Stefanie: 
What is your favorite thing about teaching 3rd grade? When I became a teacher, it was always my dream to teach third grade.  I love how third graders are becoming independent thinkers and starting to take control of their own learning.  They are so excited to learn about the world around them, and my passion is guiding them through that process.

What was your favorite subject growing up? I always loved science as a kid! I especially loved learning about outer space.  On my free time, I am always reading articles about the newest space discoveries and finding topics to share with the kids.

Did you always think you were going to become a teacher? I loved teaching, but I didn't always think I was going to become a teacher.  When I was little, I always dreamed of being an architect.

Favorite candy bar or sweet treat?  I love peanut M&M's.  I like to pretend that they're healthy!

If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? If I could go on a dream vacation, I would go to Thailand.  While there, I would tour the beaches, eat tons of Thai food (Thai food is my favorite type of food) and volunteer for a week at an elephant sanctuary.

What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area (or specifically about Richmond!)? I love the Bay Area; my favorite aspects are the history and the architecture.  As a kid I fell in love with San Francisco and always hoped I would move here someday.  I have really enjoyed living here and teaching my students about the history of California, especially the Bay Area.

What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you? 
I'm a Military Brat.  My dad was in the Navy, which meant that we moved around a lot.  By the time I was 13, I had lived in six states and two countries.

Krystal Johnson is our founding Kindergarten Lead Teacher at ChangeMakers Academy in Vallejo. In her classroom, not one minute is wasted. Students (even at the age of 5) take ownership over their learning and are incredibly invested and focused in stations, blended learning, and rigorous reading and math. If you haven't seen her in action yet, find time to visit Krystal's vibrant classroom. 

When I asked a parent about Krystal, he said: "She's real patient. And she knows what she's doing. She has it down pat. They love her in there, seriously. When they are getting excited, she settles them down real quick. Also, out of the classroom, she's easy going and someone you can talk to."

All about Krystal.... 
Hi! My name is Krystal Johnson and I am a native of California. I graduated from James Logan High School in Union City, CA and received my BA from UC Riverside. I have been teaching for over 10 years in the elementary grades. I heard about Caliber through a very close member of my family. I had been teaching in Oakland for the past four years and was commuting from Pittsburg/Fairfield. I have always been known to stay where I work for a very long time and never make any moves, but I was being pushed in the right direction by my family, especially my husband. When I visited the Beta campus for my demo interview I knew that Caliber was where I needed to be. All hands were visible in the school to ensure that the day to day operations were fulfilled. After the visit, and my conversations with Maggie, Nenji and Rachael, I was able to make my decision . I am proud and honored to be a part of the Caliber family!

Questions from a recent interview: 
What is your favorite thing about teaching Kindergarten? 
My favorite thing about teaching kindergarten is that students are honest and love you unconditionally. They are forgiving and don't remember the yesterdays as much as we do. You get to see the students start from little seeds and bloom into flowers.

What was your favorite subject growing up? 
My favorite subject growing up was reading. My grandfather taught me how to read by the age of three. He was the first person to take me to the library.

Did you always think you were going to become a teacher? 
I didn't think I was going to become a teacher. I thought I was going to be a doctor, but all that math and science changed my mind!

Favorite candy bar or sweet treat?
I love a good heathy bag of peanut M&M's :) 

If you could go on a dream vacation, what would you do + where would you go? 
If I could go on a dream vacation it would be to somewhere relaxing with blue waters and sand and hot sunshine. I love hot weather. I would just lay on the beach with my sunshades and wait for someone to bring me some cool refreshing drinks!

What is your favorite thing about the Bay Area? 
I like the Bay Area for it's diversity.

What is one fun fact that most people don't know about you?
I am the only child. And I love the beach and roller coasters.